Dialysis patient from Upton dies in Milford ambulance crash

Tuesday

Jan 21, 2014 at 12:42 PMJan 22, 2014 at 2:14 PM

By Kim Ring TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

MILFORD — A video surveillance camera captured the moment a 2010 Mercedes collided with an ambulance Tuesday morning, causing the ambulance to roll over and killing the patient inside. She was being taken to a dialysis appointment.

Karen Scott, 58, of Upton was taken to Milford Regional Medical Center, where she was declared dead after the 11:15 a.m. crash, said a spokesman for Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

The paramedic traveling in the back of the Community Emergency Medical Services ambulance, Matthew Kelly, 40, of Hopedale, was tending to Ms. Scott and was also injured, though not seriously, said the district attorney's spokesman, Paul Jarvey. The paramedic driving the ambulance, Keith Hodson, 41, of North Attleboro, was not injured.

Police Sgt. John A. Sanchioni said the video shows the Mercedes as it travels north past a stop sign on Green Street and heads onto Cape Road (Route 140) without stopping. It slams into the taller ambulance on the rear part of the passenger side with enough force to cause it to roll over, the video shows. Sgt. Sanchioni said the video will be helpful in the police investigation.

The driver of the Mercedes, Lisa Zemack, 61, of Framingham, will be cited for failing to stop at a stop sign and failing to grant the right of way, both civil infractions, police said. More serious charges could come once accident reconstruction specialists from the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council complete their investigation, Sgt. Sanchioni said.

Northbound drivers on Green Street approaching the intersection face a warning sign about the dangerous intersection a short distance before the stop sign, Sgt. Sanchioni said.

Sgt. Sanchioni said last summer at the same intersection, a driver ran the stop sign and the car struck a police cruiser that was on patrol. Both the driver of the car and the officer were injured. That driver was also cited.

At that time, police were unaware that the video camera inside a nearby Domino's Pizza covered such a large area. Sgt. Sanchioni said he plans to go back to the pizza shop to see if video from the August accident is available.

Officer Alan Bacciocchi is investigating the ambulance crash, and an assistant district attorney from Mr. Early's office will be assigned to the case as well.

Contact Kim Ring at kring@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimmring